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Madras High CourtWP(MD)/14345/2026disposed of

Duraipandi v. The Executive Officer

2026-06-01Honourable Mr Justice D.Bharatha Chakravarthy5 pages

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT Dated: 01.06.2026

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE D.BHARATHA CHAKRAVARTHY Duraipandi ... Petitioner Vs.

1.The Executive Officer, Arulmigu Jenagi Mariamman Temple, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department, Solavanthan, Madurai District.

2.Elangovan 3.The Joint Commissioner, HR&CE Department, Madurai,

...Respondents

(R3 is impleaded as Suo Motu impleaded by this Court on 01.06.2026) Writ Petitions are filed under article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying to issue a Writ of Mandamus directing the 1st respondent not to give any respect to the 2nd respondent until the disposal of the original application pending before the Joint Commissioner, HR&CE, Madurai in O.A.No.14 of 2025 of Arulmigu Janaki Mariyamman Temple in Vaikasi Festival fixed on 03.06.2026 situated at Solavandan Madurai District, by considering the representation dated 12.05.2026.

For Petitioner :Mr.M.Beema Rao For R1 :Mr.S.Manohar For R2 :Mr.PR.Maran

ORDER

This writ petition is filed for a mandamus directing the first respondent not to give any special respect in respect of the second respondent until the disposal of the Original Application in O.A.No.14 of 2025 with reference to Arulmigu Janaki Mariyamman Temple in Vaikasi Festival fixed on 03.06.2026 situated at Solavandan Madurai District. 2.The learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that special privileges cannot be granted to individuals unless there is any customary right that is established before the jurisdictional Joint Commissioner. 3.The learned counsel appearing on behalf the Temple would submit that the connected writ petition has already been disposed of by this Court in WP(MD)No.14219 of 2026(2026 MHC-1770), whereby this Court has recorded in respect of the various claimants and the rival claimants therein, that no honor should be given to any person and except for the Poojari, other persons need not stay on the car and there will not be any individual honour and all of them will be treated as equal during the festival. The only

clarification that is sought for is that while no individual honor and all of them are being treated as equal, whether viputhi alone can be given to them or not. The learned counsel for the second respondent requests adjournment for filing counter and then argue the matter. 4.Since the festival itself is tomorrow, any further adjournment in the matter will only make the writ petition is infructuous. In this regard, though the order was passed by agreement of all the learned counsel, it is relevant to extract paragraph No.5 of the order made in WP(MD)No.14219 of 2026, the same is extracted here under for ready reference: "5.

During the course of the hearing, upon query by this Court as to why honour should be given to persons and except the Poojari, other persons need not be stayed on the car, all sides agreed that there will not be any individual honour and all of them will be treated as equal, during the festival and except Poojari, nobody will climb on top of the Car for this year. For the ensuing years, if any persons want to climb on top of the Car or want any honour, an application under Section 63 of the HR & CE Act shall be filed before the Joint Commissioner, HR & CE Department and the same will be decided by issuing notice to all the other concerned and thereafter, the parties will be governed by such order." 5.

agreeable, the rights can be determined in the O.ANo.14 of 2025, which is said to be pending before the Joint Commissioner, Madurai. This writ petition is disposed of on the following terms. (i)OA No.14 of 2025 shall be decided by the third respondent within a period of three months from today and the parties will thereafter be bound by the orders that are passed by the Joint Commissioner. (ii)As far as the present year is concerned, following the same procedure in respect of the other persons, with reference to this festival also except the poojari let no other individual climb on top of the car. Parties to act on the web copy of the order. No costs.

01.06.2026 NCC:Yes/No Ns Note:Issue order copy on 02.06.2026 To 1.The Executive Officer, Arulmigu Jenagi Mariamman Temple, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department, Solavanthan, Madurai District.

D.BHARATHA CHAKRAVARTHY, J.

Ns 01.06.2026